Save, Spend, Splurge | Hydrating Serums

Now by now we’ve all heard about hyaluronic acid; the magical ingredient in all hydrating serums.  Hyaluronic acid, just in case you don’t know, is essentially a connective tissue that we all have naturally in our bodies. It gets its cult status because it can hold up to 1000x its own weight in water, meaning it can transform dull and dehydrated complexions overnight.

Now the technical stuff is over with, today we’re comparing three HA serums with very different price points. The save option is The Ordinary 5% HA + B5 serum, our spend option is Indeed Labs Hydraluron and our splurge option is Sarah Chapman Skenesis Intense Hydrating Booster.

The Ordinary HA Serum: £5.80

Hydraluron: £24.99

Sarah Chapman Hydration Booster: £59

Product Overview

As for the basics, all products are the standard 30ml, although due to a variation in textures this doesn’t mean they will all last the same/ a similar amount of time. The Ordinary product uses a vegan HA which for some people will make it the instant winner. However both The Ordinary and Hydraluron are made in Canada whereas Sarah Chapman products are made in the UK making it preferential if you’re looking for something home grown.

Texture

All three have the standard runny gel like serum consistency you would expect from a hydrating serum however they are slightly different. The Sarah Chapman is the runniest and also the most lightweight, possibly down to rose water being so high on the ingredients list. Hydraluron is the thickest and most gel like; despite this is does blend very smoothly. The Ordinary HA serum has a slightly strange texture. Although it is more of a liquid than Hydraluron, it feels quite thick. Due to this I find that it doesn’t last as long as I’d expect so despite being the cheapest, comparatively I don’t think it would work out much cheaper than Hydraluron over the course of a full year.

 

Ingredients

There are a few things worth noting here:

1. The Ordinary HA Serum is the only one that also contains an oil. Whether you see this as a positive or a negative is down to personal preference.
2. Hydraluron has by far the most simplistic ingredients list which I see as a positive. HA serums are fairly basic products so there’s no need for anything overly complicated (read: names difficult to read) on the label.
3. The Ordinary formula also contains B5, meaning it has other skin healing properties other than simply being hydrating.
4. The Ordinary and Hydraluron both have HA as the second or third ingredient whereas it’s number six for Sarah Chapman.

Packaging

The inner and outer packaging for all three products reflects the price point perfectly. Without a doubt the Sarah Chapman bottle feels the most luxurious, it’s heavy and beautifully designed. The Ordinary packaging, like every other product the brand sells, is very simple. Black and white, cheap feeling pipette, but it’s the product inside that counts, right?

Hydraluron however comes in a squeezable tube, which I have to say for application purposes can be easier, unless you’re a frequent flyer. Do not travel with this. That cute tube looks great; it’s compact and easy to pack.  It is also the only one that comes in plastic rather than glass, so you’re not concerned about it smashing all over your other products. BUT, it will explode. And it WILL go everywhere. I learned the hard way.

Productivity

It’s all well and good being in a great bottle and having the right ingredients on the label but which one works best?

You’d think the HA + B5 from The Ordinary would be the most nourishing as it has oil in the formula and the sodium hyaluronate is the second ingredient on the list; which would be great considering it’s the cheapest. It didn’t work that way for me. This one leaves my skin feeling a little tight which isn’t exactly what I want from a hydrating serum. Some people may like that as it absorbs quickly but I like to be able to feel that it’s doing something.

Between the other two I don’t notice much of a difference; my skin looks more plump and fresh the next day after using both of them. The Sarah Chapman one does absorb a little quicker which is handy if you’re using it on a morning. A lot of people claim they find Hydraluron slightly tacky on the skin in comparison to the Sarah Chapman which I can’t say is something I notice unless I’m applying a lot of product.

Overall

If you’re home a lot, Hydraluron is probably the one for you. Unless you just like to feel a little luxurious with your skincare in which case Sarah Chapman is definitely the one, and it’s nice to support something made in the UK. If you want the benefit of the B5, The Ordinary formula is phenomenal for the price, especially if you’re just looking to try one before you splurge on one of the more expensive options.

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